Vaughan Williams, Ralph

1872 – Vaughan Williams was born on October 12th in the Cotswold village of Down Ampney. He is arguably the greatest composer Britain has seen since the days of Henry Purcell.

1887 – Went to Charterhouse, where some of his music was performed at a school concert, and from there to the Royal College of Music to study composition from Hubert Parry and Charles Villiers Stanford, both composers influenced by Brahms.

1897 – He married Adeline Fisher on October 9th and during that year, studied with Max Bruch in Berlin.

1914-1918 – Vaughan Williams volunteered to serve in the Field Ambulance Service in Flanders for the war, during which he was deeply affected by the carnage and the loss of close friends such as the composer George Butterworth.

1938 – Vaughan Williams eschewed all honours with the exception of the Order of Merit which was conferred upon him.

1953 – Married the poet, Ursula Wood on February 7th.

1958 – He died in August 26th, his ashes are interred in Westminster Abbey, near Purcell.